1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to a headchip and a head for an array type inkjet printer. More particularly, the present general inventive concept relates to a headchip and a head for an array type inkjet printer, having a power wiring formed such that a plurality of colors share the power line.
2. Description of the Related Art
An inkjet printer ejects ink droplets onto a printing medium such as paper or film through nozzles to print images by pasting the ink onto the printing medium. The inkjet printer is divided into a shuttle type inkjet printer and an array type inkjet printer according to a driving method of a head for printing.
The shuttle type inkjet printer includes a plurality of nozzles on a head. The head moves in a scanning direction, printing a line, and moves a printing medium in a sub scanning direction, printing another line.
The array type inkjet printer includes a plurality of nozzles arranged along a scanning direction of a head printing lines one by one, and moves a printing medium in a sub scanning direction such that a following line is printed. Accordingly, an array type inkjet printer can print a width of the printing medium at once.
The array type inkjet printer includes a plurality of headchips which transfer ink using nozzles, and a structure of the head is extended to print as much as the width of a printing medium at once. The head structure of the array type inkjet printer is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a head structure of a conventional array type inkjet printer, in which four headchips 10 are arranged on an array head 1.
As illustrated, the array head 1 may include an ink cartridge 20 to supply ink to the headchip 10, a substrate 30 which is electrically connected to a main body to supply power and a driving signal, an encapsulation bonding unit 40 to protect electrically a connection portion between the substrate 30 and the headchip 10, and a connection terminal 50 to be connected with the main body.
The encapsulation bonding unit 40 is formed using a bond such that a height of the encapsulation bonding unit 40 is above that of a nozzle layer of the headchip 10. Accordingly, a wiping operation is performed in a length direction of the array head 1 as indicated by an arrow A to remove dirt from an upper portion of the headchip 10.
Since the array type inkjet printer is used for high-speed printing, wiping time has to be short. However, since the wiping operation is performed in a length direction of the array head 1, the wiping operation takes a relatably long time during printing.
FIG. 2 is a view illustrating a structure of the headchip of FIG. 1.
FIG. 2 illustrates a structure of the headchip 10 that can discharge four colors of ink disposed on the array head 1 (FIG. 1). Referring to FIG. 2, a supplying pad 12 to receive power and a driving signal is provided at left and right sides of the headchip 10. A driving circuit 14, and a heater and ink passage 16 are arranged respectively in a length direction of the headchip 10.
When the array head 1 includes the headchip 10 having the above-described structure, wiring connecting the main body and each headchip 10 on the substrate 30 should be formed as a single body to supply power and the driving signal to each headchip 10.
If the headchip 10 is defective, it is almost impossible to repair the headchip 10. In particular, even if only one of the plurality of headchips 10 an entire array head 1 has to be changed.
Furthermore, since the supplying pads 12 to supply power and the driving signal is formed at both ends of the driving circuit 14 and the heater and the ink passage 16, and the power lines are wired independently, the size of the headchip increases.